Foreign Relations of the United States Diplomatic Papers, 1936, The Far East, Volume IV

793.94/8188: Telegram

The Counselor of Embassy in China (Peck) to the Secretary of State

Nanking, September 26, 1936—noon.
[Received 3:25 p.m.¹⁶]

282. My 281, September 25, noon.

1. A responsible official of the Foreign Office today in reply to questions outlined to me the general Sino-Japanese situation.

2. He said that it is true that the Japanese Foreign Office is adopting a much milder attitude in the present discussions than it took, for example, at the time of the Kuramoto case in 1934¹⁷ and milder than that advocated by the Japanese Ministries of War and Navy. Nevertheless, the restraint followed in negotiation is at variance with the serious character of the proposals the Japanese Foreign Office is presenting to China. If the Japanese Government were to insist upon acceptance of these proposals with threat of force a rupture of diplomatic relations would necessarily follow. Informant reiterated Japanese refusal to discuss several recent numerous murders of Japanese and said that this was apparently based on the theory that if the Chinese Government accepted Japanese proposals for fundamental solution of mutual relations the incidents would be settled easily whereas rejection of the proposals would at once impart to the incidents an aspect of utmost gravity. Informant believed that the slower mild attitude of the Japanese Foreign Office was inspired by caution rather than good will. In the secrecy maintained concerning the nature of the Japanese proposals he said the situation did not resemble that obtaining when the 21 demands were presented for no written demands had been formulated and no pledge of secrecy exacted; secrecy followed from tacit agreement on both sides. While the Japanese proposals were fundamentally grave they were wide in scope and many. The Japanese Ambassador from the first interview on September 15 had indicated wish to talk with Chiang Kai Shek but in latter’s absence he would probably take up discussions with the Minister for Foreign Affairs again about September 28. Indications are that Chiang will return from Canton shortly before October 10. The Pakhoi incident was investigated jointly by the Japanese and Chinese representatives but no general report was adopted at the conclusion of the investigation.

To Department and Peiping.

Peck

16. Telegram in two sections.
17. Japanese consular student interpreter at Nanking; he disappeared and was found uninjured.